The present invention relates to a garland light set and, more particularly, to a garland light set which emulates the appearance of a floral garland.
A floral garland was originally a bunch of flowers having the long thin stem portions thereof twisted together to form a relatively thick rope-like wreath structure (e.g., a braid or plait) and the even thicker ornamental bloom or head portions of the flowers disposed at generally regularly spaced intervals along the longitudinal or stem length of the structure. In more commercial terms, a garland is a linear, arcuate or circular frame having flowers or flower simulations secured to the frame at regularly spaced intervals along its longitudinal axis. Translating this design into modern light set terminology, a garland is a linear, arcuate or circular configuration of twisted electrical wires having light sockets (and lamps) or groups of such light sockets (and lamps) disposed at regularly spaced intervals along the length of the twisted wires.
While a garland light set may be relatively short if it is only to encircle a Christmas tree, for more general applications such as encircling a chimney, a door frame, a portion of a house roof, or the like, a garland is preferably of substantial length. To create the impression of such a long garland, short garland light sets may be combined together, thereby to extend along the longitudinal axis further than any single garland light set.
Garland light sets are well known in the art and frequently used for festive occasions (such as Christmas). The garland light set is usually in the form of a flexible structure which is typically extended in one direction (typically horizontally) and often suspended in such a manner as to define at least one swag or arcuate portion intermediate a pair of adjacent suspension or connection points. Where there are a plurality of vertically aligned, vertically spaced swags, each swag may be formed by a separate light string extending between a pair of adjacent connection points, with the several light strings being twisted together, if at all, only at the several common connection points.
However, a more aesthetic and historically accurate garland impression is formed by having a plurality of longitudinally-extending light strings physically twisted together to define a single garland extending along a longitudinal axis (whether linear, arcuate or circular), the several light strings being physically twisted together along substantially the entire length of the several light strings to create the overall visual impression of an extremely thick rope.
Each of the light strings in such a garland include a plurality of lamp sockets electrically wired in series and longitudinally spaced along a longitudinal axis of the respective light string. Wire means physically and electrically connect in series each lamp socket of the respective light string along the respective longitudinal light string axis. However, due to the helter skelter angular orientation of the lamp sockets and the lamps associated therewithxe2x80x94which orientations may range for any given lamp socket anywhere from parallel to the light string longitudinal axis to forming a 90 degree angle therewithxe2x80x94the overall visual impression created by the garland light set is typically more of a relatively thin rope with lamp sockets and lamps more-or-less randomly secured thereto. In some instances the wire means at least partially conceal the various lamps.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a garland light set affording an aesthetic and historically accurate impression of regularly spaced apart floral blooms interconnected by twisted together stems.
Another object is to provide such a garland light set wherein the various lamp sockets and lamps therein are generally uniformly and regularly coaxially yet slightly divergently disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the garland light set.
A further object is to provide such a garland light set which is formed of a plurality of light strings, with the lamp sockets of the various light strings being grouped together in respective generally transverse planes (spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of the garland light set) with the lamp sockets of the other light strings.
It has now been found that the above and related objects of the present invention are obtained in a garland light set comprising a plurality of longitudinally-extending light strings physically twisted together to define a garland extending along a longitudinal axis. Each of the light strings includes a plurality of lamp sockets electrically wired in series and longitudinally spaced along a longitudinal axis of the respective light string, wire means physically and electrically connecting in series each lamp socket of a respective light string along the respective longitudinal light string axis, and means for orienting each lamp socket generally coaxially with the respective longitudinal light string axis.
In a preferred embodiment, the lamp sockets of one (preferably each) of the light strings are disposed in respective generally transverse planes encompassing corresponding ones of the lamp sockets of another (preferably each other) of the light strings. Preferably the lamp sockets in one generally transverse plane are adjacent but longitudinally spaced from the lamp sockets in an adjacent generally transverse plane, and the lamps disposed in the lamp sockets in the one generally transverse plane overlap the lamp sockets in the adjacent generally transverse plane. The wire means of the light strings are twisted together for substantially their entire length intermediate lamp sockets spaced along the respective longitudinal light string axes and for substantially their entire length intermediate adjacent ones of the generally transverse planes.
Preferably, each orienting means is permanently secured to a respective one of the light sockets and removably secured to a respective one of the wire means. Each said orienting means is a resilient clip formed on one of the lamp sockets and removably engaging one of the wire means. Each orienting means orients the respective lamp socket at least slightly divergently away from the respective longitudinal light string axis. In a preferred embodiment, for a plurality of the orienting means, each orienting means engages one of the wire means of the respective light string contiguous to the respective one light socket. Preferably at least one of the orienting means either engages a plurality of the wire means or at least one wire means of a different one of the light strings.
At any given point along its length, a four light string thick light set may comprise four of the light strings electrically wired in parallel or two pairs of the light strings, with the light strings of each pair being electrically wired in parallel.
In combination, a pair of the garland light sets comprise a pair of the light strings, at least a length of the wire means of one set being twisted together with at least a length of the wire means of the other set.